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The first Seattle band to hit the big time after Nirvana, Pearl Jam was not anyone's pick to be successful. Yet, Pearl Jam's brand of hard rock made them more accessible than any other Seattle band, including Nirvana. Pearl Jam's music is not as confused as Mudhoney, as melodic as Nirvana, as menacing as Alice In Chains, or as bloated as Soundgarden. Ten is remarkably clear-headed and clean, and very politically correct -- a perfect soundtrack for the 1990s. The muscular, melodic rock of "Jeremy," "Alive," and "Evenflow" brought Pearl Jam crossover success, helping Ten climb into the Top Ten and sell over nine million copies. [Ten is also available in an import release.] Stephen Thomas Erlewine.